Abhi passes it on: what #JalaninAjaDulu taught Indonesia's new youth ambassadors

A Local Action's lessons don't end when the project does. For Abhi Kurniawan, co-founder of Lakuna Kota, they're now helping a new group of young people in Indonesia shape their own road safety projects.

On 24 October 2026, Abhi led the third mentorship session of the Bridgestone Road Safety Youth Ambassador Programme 2026. He shared what he learned leading #JalaninAjaDulu, his Local Actions 2025 project in Bandung, and how his team worked through the challenges they met along the way.

A walking habit, one step at a time

#JalaninAjaDulu, an Indonesian phrase that roughly means "Just Walk It First", began with a simple question: what if a more walkable city could start with people, and not only with infrastructure? Led by Abhi, Jasin Gumilar and the Lakuna Kota team, with support from YOURS, the project first invited people to rediscover Bandung on foot through themed walks focused on heritage, food and nature, guided by community partner Cerita Bandung.

The second phase turned curiosity into routine. For three months, participants took on the JAD Walking Challenge, walking at least 2.5 km a day and recording their progress in the Cause ID app. Monthly milestones could be exchanged for rewards from partner Yumaju Coffee, and those who completed all three months received a finisher medal and jersey at a closing event in Bandung on 21 June 2026. Hundreds of people took part, many walking before work, after office hours or at weekends, even with broken sidewalks and disconnected routes still part of their daily journeys.

Reflecting on the project, the team wrote:

"Building a walking culture does not always have to wait for perfect infrastructure. Sometimes, it begins with people who are willing to take the first step."

From project lead to mentor

That experience is what Abhi brought to the Youth Ambassadors. Run in Indonesia with Bridgestone Tire Indonesia and led by fellow Coalition members and former Local Actions team members, the programme supports young people through Safe System training, an innovation contest and projects designed to create change at street level, much like a Local Action on a smaller scale. YOURS was invited to contribute to its mentorship sessions and proposed Abhi, as Indonesia's Local Actions winner, to lead a session on his experience running a local road safety action, including how the team addressed and overcame its key challenges.

According to the programme team, the session was highly interactive, with many participants asking detailed questions about the project and leaving inspired by Abhi's work. One lesson stood out: youth-led projects rarely follow the ideal plan on paper. Limited resources, tight timelines and team capacity all shape what is possible, so the smartest move is to focus on what is feasible, build on the strengths a team already has and learn along the way.

In Abhi's words: “One of the most meaningful parts of this journey is being able to share what we have learned with other young people, so they can build on our experiences and create their own impact.”

One opportunity leads to the next

Abhi's journey reflects something YOURS sees again and again through Local Actions: the support a project receives does not end when the funding does. The experience, networks and confidence young people gain along the way become something they can pass on to others. In Bandung, #JalaninAjaDulu has already outlived its funding period: it has grown into the Lakuna Walking Club, where members keep logging their walks on Strava and Cause ID, stay in touch through a WhatsApp group and swap tips on pedestrian routes and walking conditions around the city.

For the Youth Ambassadors, the session offered practical lessons from someone who was recently in their position. For Abhi, it was a chance to turn a walking challenge in Bandung into guidance for a new generation of projects across Indonesia.

#JalaninAjaDulu is one of 74 youth-led projects powered by Local Actions since 2020. Local Actions 2026 is open for teams in India, Kenya and Mexico until 15 November: youthforroadsafety.org/localactions2026